It's your duty: Manuel tells journalists to report corruption

"If you have any evidence of corruption, before you write about it, take the evidence to the law enforcement authority," he told journalists at a Progressive Business Forum breakfast in Mangaung. The forum was hosting the event on the sidelines of the ANC's elective conference.

"As an active citizen you have that responsibility."

Manuel explained to the business community how the national development plan, created under his leadership by the national planning commission, sought to find long-term solutions to South Africa's problems.

On Saturday Manuel declined nomination to the ANC's national executive committee. This, coupled with the fact that the national development plan is completed and is now awaiting implementation, many speculated he was leaving South African politics

In an SABC report on MetroFM on Wednesday morning, Manuel denied these reports.

At the breakfast he said the redistribution of land had to be done differently. The government had to deal with land redistribution as a constitutional imperative, as 2013 would mark 100 years since the passing of 1913 Land Act.

'Sensitive'
"Let's be sensitive in dealing with it so that we ensure that the agricultural sector provides jobs and also gives people a decent standard of living."

Manuel said shouting slogans would not help. Long-term solutions would change things and restore food security provided by the agricultural sector.

The development of young entrepreneurs was also crucial in growing the economy, as identified in the plan.

But the youth had to drop the "entitlement attitude", he said.

"There's no entitlement in life. We've got to get over that issue of entitlement."

He said the youth had to be supported with business plans.

"We're not going to be able to build an economy on 'ag shame'. We need to be pretty tough … I think the tougher we are on young entrepreneurs, the better the quality of entrepreneurs we will create in this country."